Just before I was elected in 2013 to the Access Copyright Board, I joked that it wasn’t so much that I had volunteered to put my name forward, it was more a case of being “voluntold”. Thinking back to that moment, I never would have imagined that it was just the start of close to an entire decade immersed in the work that the organization does. As with many things in life, it was unplanned but has been immensely gratifying.

When I joined the Board, I only had a passing understanding of Access Copyright and its role in supporting Canada’s creative sector. Now, as my time on the Board winds to a close, I express a deep and abiding appreciation of the vital work that the dedicated and tenacious staff of Access Copyright undertakes and what it means to creators, publishers and those whose jobs rely on the ready availability of quality, Canadian content.

To say that it’s been an honour to have had this privilege, especially with the past seven years serving as Board Chair, is an understatement.

When reflecting on the past nine years, I am particularly pleased to recall how the Board has transformed from one composed entirely of creator and publisher representatives to one with a deep variety of viewpoints, experiences and expertise. This diversity has not only enriched the discussions that take place around the Board table (or, as has been mostly the case during the past two years, the Zoom screen), but has also equipped the Board to make more inclusive, considered and forward-looking decisions to guide Access Copyright’s strategic direction.

As I write this, Canadian creators and publishers continue to be deprived of payment for the copying of their works by most educational institutions outside of Quebec. There are promising signs that the government recognizes that a legislative solution is the only path forward to a sustainable marketplace for educational works and to address the considerable damage that Canada’s creative sector has endured over the past decade. The tireless and unceasing efforts of Access Copyright is a huge reason why there is now optimism that long-needed changes to Canada’s Copyright Act may finally be enacted. I have no doubt that Access Copyright will play a critical role in helping to get this to the finish line. Even as I retreat to the sidelines, I will be rooting hard for the future success of Access Copyright and the creators and publishers it represents.

Cameron Macdonald
Chair of the Access Copyright Board

One of the things I have always cherished about my 20 years at Access Copyright is the higher purpose at play in the work we do; namely, that the creations of Canadian writers, visual artists and publishers have value and that when they are copied and shared, that usage should be paid for.

For over a decade now, Canadian creators and publishers have seen their works copied for free in educational institutions across Canada outside of Quebec. Ten years is an impossibly long time for anyone to wait to simply be paid for their work.

The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC)’s decision released in July 2021 in the legal action that Access Copyright launched against York University is a turning point in this struggle. It lays bare what we and others in Canada’s creative sector have been saying for years: that a legislative solution to address the devastating impact of uncompensated copying is urgently needed and the sole avenue for resolution.

And it simply crystalizes our resolve.

If left unaddressed, the SCC ruling will permanently undermine collective licensing as well as the role of the Copyright Board of Canada in upholding a functioning market for creative works. And it’s not just those works that writers, visual artists and publishers create. It has the potential to impact the viability of many creative professions across the country.

In the recent federal election, we saw the Liberals pledge to “protect Canadian artists, creators, and copyright holders by making changes to the Copyright Act,” and the Conservatives make a specific commitment to implement key recommendations in the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s Shifting Paradigms 2019 report to restore the educational marketplace for Canadian works. Since the election, I have been buoyed to see positive signs that those in government recognize that the current state of affairs is untenable long-term.

It's time for the government to take action. Canada’s creative sector can’t afford to wait any longer.

The coming year will require us all to muster up every ounce of our commitment and grit to keep pushing the government to fulfil its promise. There will be steps forward, there will be setbacks, but we believe we are on the right path and won’t stop until the job is done.

Roanie Levy
President & CEO, Access Copyright & Prescient Innovations